


Scenes From a Heist

by fangirl_squee



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Con Artists, F/M, Gen, Les Miserables Friendships July
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-11
Updated: 2013-07-11
Packaged: 2017-12-18 10:01:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/878559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl_squee/pseuds/fangirl_squee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snippets from the lives of Grantaire and Marius, two con artists who are hired by Les Amis to bring down a corrupt company.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scenes From a Heist

**Author's Note:**

> so I’ve been watching Leverage, and about a quarter of the way through S3 this happened, which is probably a good indicator that I’ve lost control of my life because I now see everything through a Grantaire&Marius brotp filter. Beta'd by the wonderful tumblr user besanii.
> 
> For Les Mis Friendship July.

_The Partnership_

Grantaire meets Marius while he’s hitchhiking along a highway at three in the morning. Marius had had a fight with his grandfather two days before, he was homeless, and he had fifteen francs in his pocket. Grantaire would later describe this as “totally ridiculous” and “potentially dangerous”.

 

Marius had had nowhere to go, and a curious, talkative nature. By the time they’d passed through three towns, Grantaire had figured out exactly how bad Marius’ current situation was, so he’d offered to teach Marius a couple of things. Nothing too adventurous or illegal, just some sleight-of-hand to help him get a bit of money together.

 

If Marius had been bad at it, or even just average, it probably would have stopped at that, but Marius wasn’t just good. He was _enthusiastic_.

 

Marius grins across the plastic truck stop table, leaving a tip for their waitress. “I just like learning new things, that’s all.”

 

They leave the wallet on the counter while its owner is in the bathroom. No point in causing trouble when they don’t have to.

 

So Grantaire teaches him a few more things (these skills might be crossing the border into illegal). Marius is good at those too, and so Grantaire looks for a challenge.

 

 

_The First Job_

Marius finds a challenge first.

 

His grandfather’s annual party is two months away. It’s one of the major social events of the season, hundreds of people attending and temporary staff hired just for the occasion. Really though, it’s an excuse to show off for everyone involved. His grandfather’s art collection, in this particular case.

 

“So what’s your plan here exactly?” says Grantaire. “We boost the paintings during the party?”

 

“Not exactly,” says Marius slowly. “Who do you know that’s good at forgeries?”

 

Grantaire grins. “My dear Marius, art is something of a speciality of mine.”

 

They don’t make the front page, but fourth page and the lead article in the financial section isn’t bad for Marius’ first job. Stolen paintings is one thing, but when all the paintings turn out to be high-quality forgeries, that is very much another. By the time Interpol tracks down the originals, Grantaire has made sure that the provenance legally belongs to a children’s charity in the process of auctioning off the paintings for their own annual funding event.

 

There’s a short interview with the head of the charity, rambling delightedly about the new programs they can now afford. Marius’ smile when he sees it lights up his whole face.

 

It had been hard to part ways after such a successful job. Really though, the job had been more than successful, it had been _fun_ in a way it hadn’t been for Grantaire in years. He half-expects Marius to leave, to take his money and try for law school, but Marius gets in the passenger seat and asks where they’re going next, and Grantaire doesn’t push.

 

Instead, he grins at Marius and tosses him a brochure. “Have you ever been to the Louvre?”

 

 

_The Client_

“You seem awfully sure that this will work,” says Combeferre. He’s looking over the map Grantaire has pinned to the wall. Grantaire’s marked the security points with a variety of coloured dots. They’ve been going through the plan all afternoon.

 

“We’ve been doing this for a while,” says Grantaire, “so yeah, I’m pretty confident that this will work.”

 

“You’ll forgive us if we don’t share your confidence in your scam,” says Enjolras. “If I have to involve Les Amis with _con artists_ , then I at least want to be sure they know what they’re doing.”

 

Grantaire smirks, thinking of Enjolras’ last “attempt” to get this company to be honest with the public, which involved bursting into the CEO’s office and demanding that he admit to his company’s wrongdoings. Obviously, it hadn’t worked out as well as he’d hoped. Enjolras’ frown deepens into a scowl, but after a week of collaboration, Grantaire is very familiar with that expression.

 

He leans forward. “You see, the thing about conning people is that you either have to look like a complete idiot or a complete genius. Either people are going to trust in your brilliant idea, or they have to think they’re pulling one over on you. That’s where Marius comes in.”

 

“Marius,” says Enjolras, “this whole thing rests on _Marius_?”

 

Grantaire thinks of their initial meeting, where Marius had knocked over a jug of water while gesturing enthusiastically. He’d gone bright red, stammering and apologetic. He’d also stolen, scanned, and then replaced the IDs of everyone in the room without them knowing.

 

Grantaire laughs at their stunned expressions. “Marius is a natural. People don’t just trust him, they severely underestimate him. It’s a very useful commodity in our line of work.”

 

 

_The Set Up_

There’s a knock, and Marius’s smiling head pokes into the van.

 

“How’d it go?” asks Grantaire.

 

“You are looking at the newest member of the International Security Forces accounting division,” says Marius cheerfully, pulling the door shut behind him.

 

“Excellent, did you get their codes yet?”

 

“Oh, yeah, uh,” Marius pats his suit jacket, before pulling it out of his back pocket. “Here.”

 

Marius sits next to Grantaire as he types. “So I met a girl today.”

 

“Oh really,” says Grantaire. He doesn’t look away from the screen, fingers flying over the keyboard as the information transfers. “Please tell me she’s not the CEO’s daughter this time.”

 

Marius blushes faintly. “No, she was there talking to the head of accounting, something about irregularities in a statement. I think she’s a reporter?”

 

Grantaire laughs, grinning as he types. “A reporter, huh, what’s her name?”

 

“Cosette Fauchelevent,” sighs Marius, dreamy smile on his face.

 

Grantaire hums thoughtfully, clicking away from the files to bring up a search. “Fauchelevent, really? Didn’t she do a story on the ISF last year? Something about the oil spill they were involved in.”

 

“Well, she certainly didn’t seem to like my new boss very much,” says Marius.

 

Grantaire hums again, eyes scanning across Cosette’s article.

 

“Grantaire, no,” says Marius, “I like this girl, I don’t want to use her in this, okay? _Grantaire_.”

 

“We’re not going to _use_ her, we’re going to give her the best story of her life!” Grantaire glances away from the screen, and rolls his eyes. “Oh, don’t be like that.”

 

“I’m not being like anything,” says Marius.

 

“She’s the perfect happy ending to this. I mean, we do need someone to leak this to, someone who will actually take notice of this in a meaningful way. And you’re the one who’s always saying we should use our powers for good,” says Grantaire, going back to the information Marius brought.

 

“I suppose it would be a nice parting gift,” says Marius. “I think I’d rather just take her out to dinner or something though.”

 

“You can always do both,” says Grantaire. “Here’s her number, you’re going to need it later.”

 

 

_The Interlude_

“So it’s really this simple?” says Enjolras.

 

He’s been coming by to “keep an eye on things”, which Grantaire finds annoying and endearing in equal measure. Enjolras is obviously not used to being involved in a situation where he’s not in total control.

 

“Simple? Are you kidding me, this is the hardest job in the world,” says Grantaire, hands flying over the keyboard. “If it wasn’t also the most fun, I’d go honest in a heartbeat.”

 

Enjolras looks over at him. “So why _do_ you do it?”

 

Grantaire chuckles. “Someone once told me that I was a good liar. I just carried that to its natural conclusion.”

 

“And Marius?” asks Enjolras, curiously.

 

“Marius’ reasons are Marius’ business,” says Marius, “where are you up to, R?”

 

Marius hands a cup of coffee to Grantaire, and Grantaire hums in thanks. Grantaire types with one hand as he drinks.

 

“I’m in the financials now,” says Grantaire.

 

Marius might not have Grantaire’s skills with computers, but he’s picked up bits and pieces. “Anything interesting?”

 

“Accounts under bogus names, various amounts of money moving out of the company account,” says Grantaire, “the usual stuff you see in a company of this size. Human nature at work.”

 

Marius hums distractedly, smiling as he texts someone.

 

“That’s greed, not human nature,” says Enjolras.

 

“If greed wasn’t part of human nature, we’d be out of a job,” says Grantaire.

 

Enjolras glares at the both of them.

 

 

_The Plan in Motion_

Grantaire sets off the alarms right on time, one floor above from where Marius is currently hiding in a supply closet. He hears the security guards thunder past as they head for the stairs.

 

_“Marius,”_ says Grantaire’s voice in his ear, _“you’re good to go.”_

 

Marius smiles as he heads to the elevator, files in hand. He pulls himself out from the top of the elevator, hooking himself into the rigging he’d left there on his way in.

 

The free fall is about thirty seconds before the breaks kick in. This gives Marius another forty seconds to rappel down to ground level and leave with the crowd. He keeps his head tilted away from the six security cameras and walks calmly towards the waiting van.

 

In the rear-view mirror, he can see the FBI entering the building, where they will find some pretty blatant examples of tax evasion and fraud, amongst other things.

 

Marius hit speed dial, smiling as it brings up a small photo. “Hey, Cosette? You know how you were saying the other day that you thought something seemed off about the financials? Well, I think I might have some proof for you.”

 

 

_The Client Redux_

They’re watching a tape of Enjolras’ interview. Enjolras is in perfect form, articulate and full of righteous fury (and maybe just a _touch_ of smugness) at ISF’s very public humiliation.

 

Combeferre holds out a hand. “Thank you both so much for your help.”

 

“It was our pleasure,” says Marius, beaming as he shakes Combeferre’s hand.

 

Grantaire smiles. “It was actually pretty fun playing Robin Hood.”

 

Enjolras leans forward over the table. “What if you could do it on a more regular basis?”

 

Grantaire looks over at Marius. Marius looks back. Matching grins spread over their faces.

 

Grantaire turns back to Enjolras. “What did you have in mind?”

 

**Author's Note:**

> For more information about Les Mis Friendships July: http://acenjolras.tumblr.com/post/54385289459/yaaaaay-fun-projects-okay-for-this-month-were
> 
> Sort-of-based on this: http://fangirl-squee.tumblr.com/post/55082722008/grantaire-marius-as-con-men-grantaire-and
> 
>  
> 
> and of course feedback is always loved: fangirl-squee.tumblr.com/ask


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